Hand-rope device for street cars



Feb. 28,1928. 1,660,633;

S. TEMBEY HANfi ROPE DEVICE FOR STREET CARS Filed April 27, 1927fliiarrzgz of this. 7

have been the only attempted solution of the Patented Feb. 2a, was.

SAMUEL TEMBEY, OF NANAIMO, BRITISH COLUMBTA, CANADA.

HAND-ROPE nnvrcn roasrn-nnr cans.

Application filed. April 27, 1927, Serial no is'aoeogana'in CanadaFebruary 2,1927.

This invention relates to a hand-rope device for electric street carsorlike public conveyances. Its main object is to facilitate the serviceby providing a readily available assistance to passengers passing alongthe gangway to and from their seats.

r The difficulty of expeditiously conducting a passenger to or from theavailable seat has vfor long been obvious in all systems oftransportation by public conveyance and such trafiic is continuallyretarded in consequence Hitherto stationary hanging straps problem.

This invention provides two hand-ropes conveniently within reach ofpassengers standing in the passage or aisle of a street car, passengerbus or the like. ,Both ropes. are continuously moving lengthwise of thecar at a moderate rate of speed, so that when grasped by a passenger, heis supported (as in the case of a hanging strap) and is gently assistedalong the passage to the door or to the vacant seat.

In this way a passenger can always secure a comfortable hold on the ropeand be piloted to his seat, even when turning sharp cornersa conditionwhich now entirely arrests any purposed movement within a street car andso delays traffic, and an uneven condition of the road bed is almost asbad.

This invention is designed to practically eliminate these conditions andin doing'so will greatly expedite the rapidity of service in largecities, and proportionately elsewhere. The drawing herewith forming partof this application, in conjunction with the detailed specificationclearly shows the character and application 01"? the device. The singlefigure shown gives the general outline of a street car of the ordinaryelectrically operated type with a vestibule at each end for the motormanand conductor and the reception and discharge of passengers. The centreof the body portion is broken away and omitted in order to save spaceand permit a larger View to be shown. a

The motormans vestibule is indicated byv 1 and the conductors vestibuleby '2, the intervening body by 3, therail level by 4:,and the outline ofthe life guards by5, these numerals being sufiicient to designate thegeneral position of the parts for the'purpose of understanding thelocation and function of the details of the device.

' The moving hand-ropes. 6 are so placed about each side of the-car-bodypassage or aisle as to be unobstrusive in a general sense but at thesame timeto be convenientlyfwitlr. in reach of a passenger enteringorabout to leave the conveyance, f a

a small electric motor T-WhiClrmay be conveniently secured to the roofas shown,

or located in other suitable position, drives 7 a double cross shaft 8and -9 carrying the small spur wheels 10 andll so as to reverse themotion on one of the shafts. The shafts may be conveniently supported inbrackets as at 12 secured'to the vestibule wall or bulk-. head.

At the other end of the vehicle are two shafts 13 in alignment carriedby brackets 14, the latter having an extension forming a' slide whichcarries the shaft bearing15 and is adjustable lengthwieeby a screwdevice'lti 6 may be suitably adjusted by revolving the so that thetension of the moving hand-rope screw 16 at the external projection 17by a hand crank or spanner or the like.

Suitable grooved pulleys, 18 running loose on the rear shaft 13 andsecured rigidly to the fore shafts 8 and 9 carry and drive the twomoving hand-ropes which can be im mediately stopped or started by aswitch within reach of the motorman. It is, however, intended that theropes'should be constantly kept moving at a moderate convenient rate ofspeed when thecar is in operation.

Having now particularly described my invention, what I claim and desireto be pro tected by Letters Patent, is: r

1. In COIIlblIlalilOHlVltlra. passenger transportation car, a travellinghand-ropefsaid rope being positioned lengthwise of and above the aisleof the said. car, means for pro-' pelli'ng said rope,'said'means beingpositioned in the vestibuleof said car, means for; achustmg the tensionof said rope.

2. In comblnatlon with a passenger transportation car, a pair of movinghand-ropes, said ropes being ositioned lengthwlseof and, Y

above the aisle 0 said car, means for propelling said 'ropesin oppositedirections, means, for adjusting the tension'of said ropes, both saidmeans being locatedin a; vestibule of said car. I

3. In combination with a passengertransportation car, a pairofmovinghand-ropes, said ropes being positioned lengthwise'ofand above theaisle of said car, two shafts,'each said shaft secured to a pulleysuitable for] the vestibule opposite to the said vestibule,

pulleys carried by the last shafts, said pulleys being suitable toreceive and guide said ropes, brackets for supporting the said 10shafts, the two brackets carrying the, guide pulley shafts having .a pr0ect1on forming a slide, each said slide carrying a bearing, said bearingcarrying the said shaft a screw. ad ustment means adapted to adjust theten 15 sion of the said travelling ropes... I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SAMUEL TEMBEY.

